On June 28, MGM Resorts International launched its 100-megawatt solar array, the hospitality industry’s largest directly sourced renewable electricity project.
The array’s clean energy now produces up to 90 percent of MGM Las Vegas’ daytime power needs, spanning 65 million square feet of buildings across 13 properties and more than 36,000 rooms on the Las Vegas Strip, including Bellagio, ARIA, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand and The Mirage, among others.
“With MGM Resorts’ significant scale and resources, we’re positioned to make a meaningful difference in the fight against climate change, and we recognize our responsibility to build a more environmentally sustainable future,” said Bill Hornbuckle, CEO and president of MGM Resorts. “Today we’re marking a significant step forward in our environmental sustainability initiatives in Las Vegas and our long-term vision to protect the planet and achieve an enduring, positive impact in our communities worldwide.”
The launch is a milestone in MGM’s long-term climate strategy and significantly accelerates progress toward its 2025 goal to reduce the company’s emissions by 45 percent per square foot. MGM Resorts also announced that it hopes to source 100 percent renewable electricity in US and 80 percent globally by 2030.
Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak applauded the development, saying MGM “has shown a clear commitment to using their size and scale to lead on important issues like climate change, renewable energy and sustainability.”
Located in the desert north of Las Vegas, MGM Resorts’ Mega Solar Array features 323,000 panels arranged across 640 acres. The array’s renewable electricity production will be equivalent to the amount of power used by approximately 27,000 average U.S. homes annually. MGM Resorts is the sole user of the renewable electricity generated.
MGM said it’s a “global leader in the battle against climate change” and will continue to work proactively to that end.
